Beauty Spots

My mother-in-law Stevie encouraged me to buy a painting. The gold frame held an image of a baby grand piano near a large window, but when I looked closer, the painting hinted at more. The ballet shoes, the sheet music on a small table and a wooden soldier woven into the ornate rug told the story of the nutcracker, a ballet I’d danced in as a child. I couldn’t stop smiling as I studied it. The price was another issue.

“You need beauty spots in your house, Edwina,” Stevie huffed. “Something special to look at that gives you pleasure.”

Always focused on the needs of our growing kids, I thought this seemed like a frivolous and expensive purchase, but I allowed her to convince me to buy the painting. I have never regretted that purchase. Stevie continued to teach me about beauty spots and the need for them in our home. After she came to live with us while she dealt with Alzheimer’s, I made sure I placed beauty spots in her room. Sometimes fresh flowers, pictures and notes from the kids or a dish with her favorite nuts. A beauty spot doesn’t have to be elaborate, just something that can bring pleasure at the sight of it.

There were times when Stevie sat in her chair and gazed at something with a slight smile. I have to agree with her—everyone needs beauty spots in their home.